Mike Wallace reportedly has no plans to sign his tender

Posted by Josh Alper on April 11, 2012, 5:32 PM EST

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There’s no sign that another team is going to offer Mike Wallace a contract before the deadline to sign restricted free agents passes on April 20th, but that isn’t moving Wallace closer to signing his tender from the Steelers.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on NFL Live Wednesday that Wallace has no plans to sign his tender, which would pay him $2.742 million, and will sit out the team’s offseason activities if he doesn’t get a new deal. Per Schefter, the two sides have had a hard time finding common ground on a new contract, which sets the stage for a long absence if Wallace goes through with this course of action.

It’s not a tactic that has met with much success in the past since teams know players need to eventually report to work in order to accrue the last year they need to become unrestricted free agents. We’re a long way off from that point, but it is the biggest piece of leverage that teams have in these standoffs.

For the Steelers, any deal they might reach with Wallace has bigger ramifications as well. Antonio Brown will be a restricted free agent next year and anything they do with Wallace will become the starting point for any negotiations with Brown.

78 responses to “Mike Wallace reportedly has no plans to sign his tender”

As Steeler Nation knows, no one player is bigger than the team. Hopefully another team signs him to an offer and we don’t match so we get 1st round pick. Woodley didn’t hold out and he played the 1 season for 500K.

2) I feel like the Steelers literally don’t have the money to pay this guy, and if they do it’s just going to cause them cap hell a few years down the road anyways. Unless the cap goes up in the next few years, the Steelers are going to be hurting, BAD.

Steelers have been making moves this entire offseason for just one purpose – to sign Wallace.

All this talk about him leaving or not playing has been BS. No way Roethlisberger restructures for a friendlier cap figure just to watch them let his #1 target leave town. Ben’s game is structured around one concept – he’s a threat to throw very, very deep from any point on the field, from nearly any formation, and especially from out of a busted play. Take away his true deep target, and his agreement to restructure makes no sense at all.

Keep in mind, they’ve still got a few more big contracts in the pocket they can easily restructure to get this one done. These past few weeks have been all about the Steelers showing Wallace that the market for his services might not have been QUITE as hot as he thought it would be — and getting him to sign at a number that’s not too outrageous.

Turmoil in steeler nation oh how I love it. I hope he doesn’t get an offer and then he’s stuck in Pittsburg unhappily playing on a tender he didn’t want and it will negatively affect him & the steelers.

He is not worth the Money and 1st Rounder! Granted, fast young WR, but nothing special. (yet) Pay your Dues and serve your current Team. If you can do this for more than 1 season… You will get your big Payout.

I trust the Steelers organization to manage this situation properly, they generally treat their important players reasonably without overpaying stupidly. Obviously, no one is beating down Wallace’s door with stacks of cash. If that continues, at some point he will sign so he can get paid. I then assume if he performs well, the Steelers and Wallace will come to terms on a reasonable deal. But he better pick his game up from the last third of last season’s performance. Brown left him in the dust with results.

Wallace should darn well know that the Steelers don’t cave to such tactics. The Steelers should make him a fair offer and Wallace would be wise to sign it. They don’t remember you for how much money you make, it’s all about the rings. And Pittsburgh is a contender year in-year out.

What Mike Wallace needs to understand is that no one is going to give him Larry Fitz money!!!! Larry does being double and triple teamed and deserves it. He is a very good WR don’t get me wrong but Wallace needs Brown as much as Brown needs Wallace!! They go together, however if we lose Wallace which I don’t want to we will replace like we did with Yancy Thigpin, Plex, Santonio and others not mentioned…..Drive to Seven here we come!!

sasattack says: As Steeler Nation knows, no one player is bigger than the team. Hopefully another team signs him to an offer and we don’t match so we get 1st round pick. Woodley didn’t hold out and he played the 1 season for 500K.

Never understood why the Patriots didn’t go after him and give up their low first round 31st pick.

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It’s the double-whammy, my man. You’ve got to give up your #1 AND pay him a contract he’s happy with.
For a guy like Wallace, that’s tens of millions of dollars.
To the best of my knowledge, no team has ever signed a first-round tendered RFA for that reason.

BTW, keeping their #1 and signing Brandon Lloyd for an incredibly team-friendly 3 years/$12M probably makes a lot more sense for N.E.

Uh-oh… The Terrible Towels are beginning to fray around the edges. The classy Pittsburgh Steelers organization is beginning to find that individual success loosens the cohesive bond. And that there may be no “I” in “TEAM”, but there is an all-too-obvious “Me” happening here.

Wallace doesn’t seem to understand that he is worth far less than he thinks he is. I was very excited when he was signed, and even more when he relieved Sweed. I knew from the beginning that he was a steal. (first “kid” on my block to sport his jersey) Not in the same tier as Fitz or Megatron, but a much needed deep threat. I would love to see him stay in Pittsburgh, but not at the expense of losing Brown (who is a MUCH better rounded talent than Wallace). Insert reality check, PLEASE!

The Steelers don’t operate like that and they just resigned Cotchery. There goes Mike’s leverage. Beside, they are going to be in the same spot next year with Antonio Brown and he is a much better all-around receiver. Save the cap money and re-sign Antonio.

HAHA at those who think this will cause turmoil in Steelerville. This organization is not like most others and deals with these issues in a very professional and SUCCESSFUL businesslike manner. The Steelers will be competitive with or without Mike Wallace.

Not a Steelers fan, but Wallace ought to know better. They don’t worry about holdouts. He’s just gonna cost himself a good portion of his current yearly salary. Oh well…all the better for the other AFC teams.

Stupid move by Cook and all it will do is affect OTA’s. He’s got to report for camp and the games to become a UFA to get that big contract. Unless some idiot offers him a tender before April 20 the Stillers got him by the short hairs. Next …..

I’m a die hard steeler fan and I am praying someone gives us a first round pick for this guy. He’s good but not worth what he wants paid. Besides, Antonio Brown is who we need to sign. That kis has heart!

@bigfootballfan says:
Apr 11, 2012 6:01 PM
I hope it works out for Wallace. They need him more than he needs them and knows it. Good luck Mike. Sit out a year – someone will give you a pot of gold.
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You must be the same idiot clowns fan that suggested the clowns sign away Wallace and give the Steelers their second 1st-rounder in return.

Wallace has to play the game in order to accrue the time necessary to become a free agent. If he sits out the year, he’s a restricted free agent next year.

Learn the basic rules of the game fool.

Wallace can posture all he wants, but unless someone backs up the truck with a boatload of cash and provides the Steelers with an extra first round draft choice, he’s playing for the tender this year.

I have the utmost faith in the Steelers front office to do the right thing. History is on our side.

Steelers have the leverage; unless he reports for the Tender, he never gets to be a free agent. Even if he ultimately signs the tender; he gets paid average pay, but still has to perform at the high end to get the big $ next Free Agency Season. This seems most likely as he feels he is deserving of a huge contract. He will be disgrunteled all season but will perform well.

I hate the steelers and would love to see him sit out a year, but his agent gotta know they don’t have any cap money. He’ll probably sit out OTA’s so he don’t get hurt during something stupid (just ask Dominique Foxworth). He’ll sign it some time during training camp play out the year and he’s unrestricted next year. And hopefully out of the AFC North.

As noted elsewhere, it is Mike’s job to make as much money as he possibly can during the next ten years or so. To suggest that one way to do that is to sit out a year during the prime of his career is lunacy. On the other hand it is the Steeler’s job to field the best team possible under the constraints of the cap. I am certain that both objectives will be served at some point

The guy wants more than the $110M contract signed by Fitzgerald. All well-run organizations are not going to make this kind of transaction. For the $$$ is this one person going to make a difference to win the SB? Look at the NY Giants…they certainly did not have anyone near the capabilities of Wallace, and they did not need anyone, based on what they accomplished ‘as a team’.

If Wallace punks-out and doesn’t sign the tender because he thinks he is going to get Larry Fitzgerald money, then I hope the Steelers’ first call is to Anotino Brown’s agent to extend his contract immediately. Wallace can waste away at home and warm the bench for the minimum games to get his free agency for all I care based on this behavior. The guy disappeared in the second half of the season and every team knows it.

Reality check Mike, unless your name is Hines Ward and you have busted your ass for this team for many years, a holdout doesn’t fair too well for you. Why not ask another former Steeler who had just one great season, Barry Foster. See how his career ended up.

You’d be wise to sign that tender, collect your $2.7 million and report to camp. Holding out will get you nowhere but in the IFL with T.O.

Add in the fact that A.B. is a better all-around receiver and Emmanual Sanders is coming into his own, you are really expendable, being a one-route guy.

I believe receivers in the NFL should be approached similar to the way Bill Bellicheck’s draft scheme.

Actually put injuries into consideration, receivers eat the nastiest hits, and any receiver can get severely injured at any time

This’ll work with or without a designated #1 receiver (and cost less)

1) Draft a few speedy guys (Mike Wallace/Santonio Holmes type receivers) to stretch the field and make it easier to find a good #1 or #2 receiver. Or use FA (Just don’t overpay, or it defeats the purpose of this)

2) Alright, now you have depth (more than just one santonio/wallace-typer receivers) so you won’t have to pay big bucks f

3) Draft 2-3 (or FA, just don’t overpay) slot receivers to compete. This will take heat off your #1 and #2 receiver, and force defenses to defend the short pass.

This way, you’re bound to wind up with a starting-grade receiver, without paying ridiculous money. And you’ll have plenty of depth so if anyone decides to hold out, it’s not a big deal cause you could have 2 Victor Cruz 2.0’s ready to take his place.

The players who are at 2nd and 3rd string will be extra motivated to work for a contract/improve FA value.

So, basically you won’t wind up with any career-long receiver, but you’ll have plenty of depth is a position that will become much more injury prone over the next few years.

Safeties will get bigger and better, and corners as well, to cover the Megatrons and Gronk’s of the NFL.

This could get ugly. Pittsburgh is not a franchise to give in to threats such as this. If Wallace isnt careful, The Steelers could use that 24th first round pick on a receiver and they will roll will Brown Sanders Cotchery. That actually does not sound like a bad receiving corp. Wallace sign the deal and go compete for a championship year in and year out.

If Pittsburgh were a team like Eagles who had the money and chose to spend it on free agents, then I’d understand. Steelers are an organization that is strapped and everyone knows that with patience he will get a deal. Not a Larry Fitz deal but I dont think anyone else is that dumb either. I wish Mike well and hope a team or money he likes pick him. At this point, Steelers may be better off with 2 1st rounders.

Steelers should just pack him with their 1st round pick and get a higher first or a package of picks.We have bigger needs and his ego should be a concern.Never been a fan of his so I wouldnt mind sending him packing

Wallace seems to be feeling his oats, wants way more money than worth at this time of career. He has had some good games in Pittsburgh but if he wants to hold money over the Steelers he is wasting his time. First they don’t have the cap money and second they don’t seem to care if a player wants to play the tough road. Wallace will end up going to a team not compeative year in and year out as the Steelers have been. Greed will take you down.

Since you are unwilling to be a team player or to understand you aren’t worth what you think you are, we will start reducing our offer to you by $10k a day between now and the start of training camp and by $25k for each day of training camp you miss. By the start of the season we will reduce our offer to you for a league minimum for a player of your longevity.

We aren’t bluffing. You will be an example for the rest of the greedy, self-righteous players who aren’t nearly as good as they think they are.

The players have no one to blame but themselves. Between rules for a first round tender and the Franchise tag rule (a player can be Franchised 3 years in a row with the dollar amount increasing each year) a team can keep a player off the Free agency market up to 4 years in a row. For a rookie running back who if they’re lucky might play to age 30 they may never hit the market in their prime when they’re in the position to sign a favorable deal on top of playing under a rookie contract that’s not guaranteed. In any case this was the deal the players agreed to so they’ll have to live with it.

But I understand they don’t have to live quietly with it. With the NFL more than any league the rules lead to situations like this.

Uh-oh… The Terrible Towels are beginning to fray around the edges. The classy Pittsburgh Steelers organization is beginning to find that individual success loosens the cohesive bond. And that there may be no “I” in “TEAM”, but there is an all-too-obvious “Me” happening here.

Welcome to the basement of the AFC North, Steeler fans!
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Dream on pathetic fool. No team has had more success this decade (without cheating) than the Steelers. Best front office in football. They will be in the hunt year in and year out.

The guy wants more than the $110M contract signed by Fitzgerald. All well-run organizations are not going to make this kind of transaction. For the $$$ is this one person going to make a difference to win the SB? Look at the NY Giants…they certainly did not have anyone near the capabilities of Wallace, and they did not need anyone, based on what they accomplished ‘as a team’.
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Umm what? You can always tell who are the ones who don’t know anything about football by what they post.

This guy thinks he’s the second coming of John Stallworth apparently. Hey Mike- in honor of your namesake who passed away last weekend, do the classy thing and sign the tender. If not, Pitt should start shopping him. Maybe they can sign Morley Safer to replace him.

what makes some of you ppl think that the loss of wallace would reall hurt the steelers? is he a decent WR? yes…but is he worth anywhere near the money he wants? absolutely not. if he were to hold out or another team would offer him what he wants (which wont happen) steelers would be just fine. there has been great WR talent coming out of college football the last few years. most of the more well known WRs are not first rounders and not from big schools (ie….greg jennings – 2cd round from western michigan, marques colston – 7th round from hofstra, victor cruz – undrafted from umass) this years draft is loaded with WR talent, so wallace can be easily replaced. especially a WR that is a one trick pony…wont be to hard to find a fast WR that only runs corners, posts and fly routes. i wouldnt mind wallace staying with the team but he needs a serious shot from reality and ask for fair market value.

rexismybff says:
Apr 11, 2012 5:45 PM
Steelers have been making moves this entire offseason for just one purpose – to sign Wallace

this is the dumbest no knowledge comment ive seen on this thread. obviously not a steeler fan or he would know that the steelers have been doing that same thing for years! letting go of older players just as their production declines so they can replace them with yonger talent through the draft. do you really think the steelers would release all these guys to make cap space just to over pay for one guy when there so much good WR talent coming out in the draft this year? they steelers have long since been known for never over paying for any player and getting the best bang for their buck … so i really hope you just didnt think that comment through

Lesson number 1 – You dont play hardball with the Rooneys . It simply will not work . It never has and it never will . I firmly believe the Steelers have every intention of locking Wallace up to a multi-year deal . That is provided he comes in and honors the remaining year on his deal and does things the right way . However , if he holds out and this thing turns into a distraction for the team , it will get ugly very quickly . At the end of the day , its up to Wallace .

I know mainly steeler fans are here on this post but hear me out. Even if Wallace isn’t worth the cash and a 1st rd pick PER SAY to most teams I personally feel like Wallace leaving hurts the Steelers. So if I’m the Bengals I pay the cost simply to weaken the opponent.

Now I know that won’t happen. But it would seem like common sense for the Bengals to at least offer a deal.

I say the Bengals because they are loaded with cash and have a future.

I love it when people tell other people they should just shut up and take whatever the owners offer………..would you crackheads take your own advice if you were seeking a raise for doing an outstanding job at your profession?…………What if your boss told you to sit your arse down or see me next year about a raise and I’ll see what I can do…..I’ll bet you wouldn’t take it and surely seek employment somewhere else………..let Wallace do what he does and you knuckleheads keep your idiotic comments to yourselves…….

I get a kick out of all the “capologists” in Steeler-land who think Big Ben did such a noble and selfless act by restructuring. Geez, it goes on all the time in the league. All restructuring does is take what was called a salary for that league year and change it to a bonus, witch allows the team to pro-rate the money over the length of the contract (for cap purposes) instead of accounting for it all in the one season of that particular salary. Ben is not getting one dime less than he had coming prior. It’s nothing more than an accounting gimmick which in all likelihood will put the team in even deeper cap-jail next year or the year after that when all that deferred “bonus” money shows up on the payroll along with that season’s salary. When they run out of years on his contract to push it out further, they are toast. Especially for a guy as injury prone as Ben, who’s body is breaking down before our eyes. At some point it all will fall on the cap, in the form of about $30 million bucks. And it would be insane to give him another long term contract simply to relieve cap pressure for that season.
As they say in China – Rotsa Ruck Steelers.

I’m surprised te pats didn’t jump on this guy.. A real threat for Brady to utilize. Would have been awesome to see. I’m a cowboy fan so I have thought myself to watch other teams and learn how they win.

Lesson number 1 – You dont play hardball with the Rooneys . It simply will not work . It never has and it never will . I firmly believe the Steelers have every intention of locking Wallace up to a multi-year deal . That is provided he comes in and honors the remaining year on his deal and does things the right way . However , if he holds out and this thing turns into a distraction for the team , it will get ugly very quickly . At the end of the day , its up to Wallace.

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So true. Was talking with a friend tonight about athletes/contract disputes and told him about Mike Merriweather. He was our best player during some lean years, but the Rooneys let him sit out an entire season rather than let him dictate terms. I expect they’ll get a deal done with Wallace. But if not … I won’t lose sleep over it. The Rooneys are fair with people who handle themselves appropriately and don’t suffer fools gladly. I like the way they do business.

God the very first post had some asswipe saying “steeler nation”. Am I the only person that is tired of hearing people refer to they’re fellow derelict fans as “insert team name her Nation”. Really dude just because your favorite team is the steelers it doesn’t mean that the whole nation likes them.

It’s ironic that the two fan bases who constantly refer to themselves as “Blank Nation” are the Steelers and the Raiders, they also happen to be the most obnoxious, egotistical, douche bags in the history of organized sports.

Who cares? the steelers will still blow this season with or without wallace. They are going nowhere but down to the Pitts of the Afc North. You had a good run Squealers, now enjoy a decade of losing football.

Uh, unless a player rips up his contract it is actually in the players favor to restructure. They don’t lose any money by doing so. What happens is a large base salary is converted to a signing bonus, that can be prorated over the remainder of the contract. And the player collects that money up front. Example: a player has a 12 million dollar base salary. He’s got 4 years left on his contract. The team can drop his cap number by converting 10 of that 12 million to a signing bonus. The player gets 10 million upfront and the team pays 2.5 million per year on their future cap, unless the player is released and than the entire amount is due immediately. So you see, its actually beneficial for the player to restructure.

The Steelers should do the right thing and trade this guy for a second or third rounder. They are no where near being able to sign him for what he is worth.
They keep expecting a huge amount of loyalty from their players but don’t reciprocate. I think the players will eventually learn that they aren’t going to get rewarded as much in Pit as they would elsewhere. Too many high-priced vets there.
If you can’t afford someone, let them go or trade them, don’t hold them hostage just because you can.
I’m sure Antonio Brown is paying real close attention to all of this.

HAHA at those who think this will cause turmoil in Steelerville. This organization is not like most others and deals with these issues in a very professional and SUCCESSFUL businesslike manner. The Steelers will be competitive with or without Mike Wallace.

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Dude, Turmoil wasnt even in your vocabulary before I said it. You couldnt spell it let alone know what it means before I used it.